U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIORBUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT
Washington, DC 20240
May 12, 2011
In Reply Refer To:
1734 (200) P
EMS TRANSMISSION 05/23/2011
Instruction Memorandum No. 2011-115
To: All Field Officials
From: Assistant Director Renewable Resources and Planning
Subject: Vegetation Treatment Area Data Standard DD: 10/31/2011
Program Area: Renewable Resources and Fire.
Purpose: The purpose of this Instruction Memorandum (IM) is to transmit the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) data standards for mapping and recording vegetation treatment areas.
Policy/Action: The data standards for developing and maintaining the vegetation treatment areas in electronic forms are found in Attachments 1, 2, and 3 of this IM. All offices must use these standards when developing, amending, or maintaining electronic vegetation treatment area datasets.
Timeframe: The Vegetation Treatment Area Data Standard is effective immediately. The states shall have until October 31, 2011, to provide a geospatial copy of the vegetation treatment areas for projects implemented in the 2011 field season which comply with this data standard. This copy will be sent to the National Operations Center (NOC) for inclusion in the national dataset.
Budget Impact: The cost of collecting the data to the new data standard is consistent with current program activities and Geospatial Services Strategic Plan (GSSP) priorities.
Background: Development of national corporate data standards and databases has been recognized by the Director and the field committee as being a critical component to facilitating bureau-wide, comprehensive, data management and increased efficiency in dealing with information at all levels of the BLM. To support the development of the BLM corporate data standard for vegetation treatment areas, a team of subject matter experts with representatives from field offices, state offices, the Washington Office (WO), and the NOC, all collaborated to identify the Bureau’s requirements for vegetation treatment areas. These requirements, in the form of a corporate data standard, are now being presented to all field offices and must be used to develop, maintain, or amend digital geospatial datasets of vegetation treatment areas. Supporting the Bureau’s Vegetation Treatment Area Data Standard and database will result in fewer data calls and less overall effort by state and local personnel to use the Bureau’s geospatial information. Development of a national corporate vegetation treatment area data standard and geospatial database will also facilitate timely sharing of our information with partners/public and produce significant long-term savings for the BLM.
Manual/Handbook Sections Affected: None.
Coordination: Development of these standards was coordinated amongst WO-200,
WO-400, representative state program leads, state data administrators, and GIS coordinators.
Contacts: Gordon Toevs, Assessment, Inventory and Monitoring Coordinator, WO-200 at
202-912-7202; Louis Bruggerman, Fire Program, WO-400 at 202- 208-4672; Thomas Chatfield, NOC Data Management Lead, OC-530 at 303-236-1936; or, Bill Lamb, Spatial Data Coordinator, OC-530 at 303-236-0911 for information regarding sending the data to the NOC.
Signed by: Authenticated by:
Edwin L. Roberson Robert M. Williams
Assistant Director Division of IRM Governance,WO-560
Renewable Resources and Planning